Mom story: I’m a tattoo enthusiast

Maria Mora is a freelance writer and single mom fueled by coffee, questionable time management skills, toaster oven waffles and the color orange. She lives in Florida with her two young sons. If you see her on Twitter, tell her to stop p...

Meet a mom with serious ink

Bri is a working, homeschooling mom. She’s also a tattoo enthusiast with dozens of tattoos covering much of her body. Find out how she got started with tattoos and discover the stories behind her favorite ink.

When you see a woman with lots of tattoos, do you have preconceived notions about her life or personality? We talked to Bri Norcross, a 30-year-old mom with lots of tattoos. Find out what being a tattoo enthusiast means to her, and what she loves (and doesn’t love) about being inked.

Meet Bri, a busy mom

Three years ago, Bri moved from Arizona to Florida. She lives with her husband and their blended family of three children. “I split my days between homeschooling our oldest kiddo, doing project management for our web development agency, Reaktiv Studios, and handling accounting for my clients through my own firm, Balance Virtual,” she says.

Getting started with tattoos

Bri began with piercings before tattoos. “Back then, I'm sure the main appeal was pissing off my parents. I had many, many piercings throughout my teens.” As an adult, Bri regrets most of her piercings, especially her stretched earlobes. “I went pretty large and after a certain point, they don't really... unstretch," she admits. Bri got her first tattoo — a small four-leaf clover — at age 18. “There's not some huge meaning behind it — it's just a little reminder of both my Irish ancestry and how lucky I am.”

Becoming an enthusiast

“I think I always felt I'd be heavily tattooed. In fact, I think I always hoped I'd have more than I do by the age I am now,” Bri says. “But they're expensive!” While Bri doesn’t keep up with current tattoo trends or famous artists, tattoos are an important part of her life. “I'd guess I'd classify myself as an enthusiast. If I have a fun idea, I'll take it to my artist and let him go wild with it.” At the moment, Bri has an extensive back piece in progress. Her arm is tribute to junk food, and on her thigh she has a large owl with a banner that says “hear, see, be silent” in Latin.

How others approach her tattoos

Bri gets positive and negative responses to her tattoos. “It was worse when I lived in a small, conservative town, but I still get the occasional unwanted opinion. There was a fellow parent at my kids' day care who commented that I should stop letting the kids scribble on me.” Sometimes she’s approached with too much enthusiasm. “Many feel like it's an invitation to touch me, grab my arm and move it around to get a better look — or move my shirt aside to get a better peek at my back,” Bri says. “I have to admit here that if I had known how much of a conversation starter tattoos would be, I may not have ever gotten any.”

What are Bri’s favorite tattoos?

“Currently, the pink bows I have on the back of my thighs may be my favorite,” Bri admits. “They're cute and dainty and so outside of my usual tomboyish vibe — and are like a little secret that make me feel sexy. At least, until gravity takes over my a** and it covers them.”